Human, Social & Political Sciences at ÎçҹѰ»¨
The course is exceptionally diverse. Human, Social and Political Sciences (HSPS) is a three-year degree that gives students the chance to study politics and international relations, social anthropology or sociology. The flexibility of the degree allows students to explore different subjects before pursuing advanced study in the one or two specific subjects that interest them most in the second and third years. The Directors of Studies at the college help students work out the best path through the degree for them as individuals and support them in seeking to develop their intellectual potential through those choices.
HSPS at Cambridge attracts a broad and diverse range of students. You will graduate from Cambridge having specialised in one or two subjects but will also have the advantage of a broad background in the human, social, and political sciences.
You can find further information about studying HSPS on the University's course . Detailed information is also available on the Department's Prospective Undergraduates .
What are we looking for?
The multi-disciplinary nature of the course means that it attracts diverse students from a range of backgrounds. What is most important, and what is looked for at interview, is a keen curiosity about the world's social, political and cultural issues and an ability to think both critically and creatively.
Candidates will be expected to have a genuine enthusiasm for at least one of the disciplines covered in the HSPS Tripos, but they are by no means required to be interested in all of the many topics covered in this course, nor do we expect candidates to be knowledgeable about all of these fields if they come for interview. We aim to select candidates who are able to think for themselves, and who have the commitment necessary to benefit from the courses on offer in this degree.
Entry Requirements
No particular subjects at A level (or equivalent) are required. HSPS is a broad course, therefore a range of subjects provide a good background: from Mathematics to social sciences (e.g. Psychology, Politics and Geography) to arts (e.g. English, History and modern languages). Please consult the University's for further information.
Applications
Applications to study HSPS at ÎçҹѰ»¨ are submitted through UCAS. The College additionally requires the submission of written work and an online interview, as detailed below.
| Written Work | Applicants are required to submit two pieces of written work. This should be in a related discipline which the candidate is studying or has studied. Submission deadlines can be found here. |
| Assessment | There is no written assessment. |
| Interview | Shortlisted candidates will be invited to be interviewed in December (or late March for those who apply in the March round). There will be one or two interviews (in total lasting 40-50 minutes) which will be conducted online via Zoom. |
For more information about making an application, please visit our application webpages.
You can also find useful information on our Application FAQs page.
Student perspective: HSPS at ÎçҹѰ»¨
The HSPS course at Cambridge is intellectually demanding and often humbling. It challenges all your assumptions, subverts your pre-conceived ideas, and rigorously unpicks your personal ideology. This was nowhere more the case than in the Social Anthropology papers, in which I chose to specialise in my final two years.
Third-year papers in the anthropology of ethics were my particular favourites. While fiendish, they substantially altered my perspective on human societies. It encouraged me to reflect on my first year papers in Politics and Sociology in a new way: as artefacts of a distinct ethical and social system. Anthropology's focus on the particular and the specific, in the vast diversity of human society, combined with the comparative method, has transformed the way I view the world.
To get the best from HSPS you need an open mind. The course emphasises nuance, context, and complexity. You will thrive if you embrace this. HSPS didn’t give me ‘answers’ - it has given me the tools I need to try to find them for myself.
Edward Lyons (graduated undergraduate)